In March the fourth Poisonblack-album “Of Rust And Bones” will be published. Are you completely satisfied with the result or did you already find something you would have done in a different way nowadays?

Ville: I`m completely satisfied. We achieved all the goals we set out to do. The whole way we wanted to record the album was just going into the studio and play the songs. Actually we recorded most of the songs live. I`m really happy about the album.

You said, you have achieved all your goals. So what have been your goals when you started to produce the album?

Ville: We actually started already when we were rehearsing the songs. It wasn’t like usual that I went to the rehearsal place with the song and told everybody, how the song should be played. This time I went there with the song and we all started to work with it. We wanted to take this relaxed atmosphere of the rehearsal place with us into the studio. There we basically just recorded the band – nothing more and nothing less.

One goal of producing a new album should always be getting a step forward. Where do you see your personal step forward with “Of Rust And Bones”?

Ville: I think, as a band we already started on “Lust Stained Despair” and “A Dead Heavy Day” to find our sound. And on the newest album it`s more obvious that this is the kind of style we do the best. And also the chemistry within the band has obviously grown, because we have played so many shows together and we`re getting to know each other better and better. How have been the reactions so far in your family and friend`s circle referring to the new album?

Ville: I haven`t really played the album to so many people. They seem to like it, but we have to wait until it`s officially released to find out what the rest of the world thinks about it. I hope everybody will like it.

I´ve got the feeling with every album the music became a bit heavier. In which genre-department of a record-store would you search for the new Poisonblack-album?

Ville: Not in the metal section, that`s for sure, although there is a bit metal in the music. But I guess, you will have to search for our album in the rock section.

So it`s more a rock album?

Ville: Yeah, at least in my opinion it is. The heaviness on the new album is not that obvious, because we were trying to achieve more or less this kind of 70ies sound. I mean, some parts are heavy, but still I think the main sound is not as heavy as on the previous CDs.

How did the work with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa proceed in the studio?

Ville: Already when we recorded “A Dead Heavy Day” we wanted Hiili to produce the album, but he had planned a different project at that time, so we took someone else. And this time we directly called Hiili and asked him if he wants to do the whole album – and he was right there from the beginning. We actually met like almost five months before we started to record. We wanted to explain to him our goals and what kind of music we`re playing. And for the first time in our band history we made a demo tape. Hiili was right there from the first notes. Actually in the studio I´ve been working with Hiili in the past with Sentenced, so I know his capabilities and kind of craziness in the studio. We liked to create moods and tried to record the right moment, you know.Any anecdotes to tell us?

Ville: It was really relaxed and fun. We laughed a lot. Actually we were really concentrating during the recordings, but still we made a lot of jokes. And our bass player Antti was downstairs cooking for us…

Is Antti a good cook?

Ville: He`s okay. (laughter)

Where has the album been produced?

Ville: We recorded the drums and bass and some of the guitars here in our hometown Oulu in the Neo studio. We also recorded in the Matrixtor studio in Hämeenlinna. So we have been in two studios.

How does a Poisonblack-song usually come into being?

Ville: Usually I start with just one line of lyric or melody. If I write one sentence on a piece of paper, that makes me think and I can feel something, then there might be a chance for a song to be born. If you try to create a song out of nothing, usually shits comes out. (laughs)

Where do you write the songs texts?

Ville: At home and on the road. Usually it can be like I´m watching TV, sleeping, eating, cooking and then suddenly you just have to grab the guitar and get a paper and a pen. I have to write my ideas down immediately, otherwise I might forget them.

Are you an open book referring to your lyrics?

Ville: My lyrics are very personal. They`re like a diary. But actually I don`t really speak that much about myself – except when I`m drunk. (laughs) But it`s hard to talk about any kind of emotions and even if I try to do it in my lyrics, I`m still hiding them between the lines. I`m using metaphors. Just sometimes I directly write down what I think or how I feel.

Is there any connection between the songs on the new album or does every song stand for its own?

Ville: I haven`t really thought about it. Usually when I write the lyrics for a song, I don’t think about the song that I wrote before. I don`t really see the connections when I´m composing music. But when I was deciding the title for this new album, I was going through the lyrics and realised that the words “rust” and “bones” can be found in many songs on the album. So I put these words together in the title, but it wasn`t really intentional.

As you`re talking about the album title: Taking the first letters of the words “A Dead Heavy Day” you get ADHD out of it. With “Lust Stained Despair” it is LSD. Is there also a wordplay within the new album title?

Ville: No, there isn´t anything like that. The wordplay just made sense for those two previous albums.

What are your single candidates, your personal highlights on the new album?

Ville: One day it can be a slower song like “Invisible” and the next day it could be “Casket Case”. It`s too early to say. But I`m really happy about the sounds on the album, so that´s like a good thing for me.

Which topic would never find its way on a Poisonblack-album?

Ville: Politics! I would love to sing about a happy love song, but it seems to be impossible for me to write about it. Love is always about loosing somebody, someone`s dying or whatever. I guess, that`s just a part of the Finnish mentality. All the Finnish folk songs are about lost loves and so.

Where is the connection to the album cover by the way?

Ville: We just wanted to have bones there and this rusty kind of shade. But to be completely honest: We haven`t been involved in designing the cover, so I saw the picture when it was already done. I like it. It reminds me of an old Whitesnake-album.

When is it possible to see you live on stage here in Germany?

Ville: I think we have some dates in Germany between the 22nd and 26th of April. At least that`s the plan. I don`t know if anything is confirmed, but we`re supposed to be a week in Germany.

What do you prefer: playing the guitar or singing?

Ville: Both. At the beginning of Poisonblack I only wanted to concentrate on the guitar. But I would be lying to myself if I didn`t want to sing anymore.

In our last interview almost two years ago you told me that your long hairs do not mean that much to you anymore and you could cut them off like right away. But checking out your newest promo pictures, you still have the long black hairs…

Ville: (laughs) Yeah, cos I`m a chicken. I didn´t dare to cut it off. I always have a ponytail or it`s hidden under my hat or something. I don´t have to keep the hair loose to show I´m a metal or anything. I have the long hairs since I was twelve or thirteen. And as long as I´m not getting bald, I will keep the long hairs. What are your plans and wishes for the year 2010?

Ville: Obviously we hope that the people will like the new album, so that we get to play more shows. We just wanna tour and play as many shows as possible. That`s what we hope for this year.